Producers in the State of Mexico have completed the sanitary and compliance work needed to export avocados to the United States. The US government has not yet granted final authorization, FreshFruitPortal.com reported on August 3.
Key Facts
- Two packing facilities are ready for USDA/APHIS sign-off, pending after four years of preparation.
- Behind only Michoacán and Jalisco, the state produces roughly 145,000 metric tons of avocados a year.
- Domestic buyers absorb 96% of the crop today, with Canada and Japan splitting the rest.
The State of Mexico is the country's third-largest avocado producer, after Michoacán and Jalisco. It has roughly 33,000 planted acres, producing nearly 145,000 metric tons a year. About 5,000 of those acres in the Temascaltepec area meet the requirements of the Binational Operational Work Plan.
The bilateral protocol is jointly administered by Mexican authorities and the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
Luis Eduardo Juárez is general director of the Association of Avocado Producers and Exporters of the State of Mexico, known by its Spanish initials APEAMEX. He explained that Mexican authorities have already validated the industry's compliance with the plan.
Two packing facilities are ready for APHIS to authorize, he added.
Why the Authorization Has Stalled
The remaining approval is still with the US government, and Juárez said the reasons for the delay have not been disclosed.
"We have no information that there is any pending requirement," he told FreshFruitPortal.com.
He noted that Mexican officials have confirmed negotiations are ongoing but have not specified what is holding the decision up. Juárez speculated the delay could be linked to other items on the broader US-Mexico agenda, including talks tied to the non-renewal of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
Small Growers Would Benefit Most
More than 90% of producers in the certified area farm fewer than 12 acres, according to APEAMEX. Juárez does not expect that to change if authorization arrives. María de los Ángeles Rubí is an APEAMEX member whose family began growing avocados in the area in the 1980s.
She now farms nearly 300 acres. Rubí said the sector has spent four years working to become the third Mexican state cleared to export to the US, after Michoacán and Jalisco. She pointed to producer investment in agrochemical container recycling and university training partnerships as part of that push.
Current Export Mix and Next Steps
Domestic buyers absorb 96% of the state's avocado crop today. Canada takes 3% and Japan takes 1%, per APEAMEX figures. The state's peak harvest runs from November through February. The lower-volume "loca" harvest is underway now, running from June through August.
Producers expect progress during the next certification period, per Rubí. It is scheduled for the fall.
